HOW I PACKED FOR A WEEK IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...IN JUST A CARRY-ON

I spent a week in a remote area of the Dominican Republic for a medical mission trip and I was told all I could bring was a carry-on. This is due to the fact that our checked luggage was to be used to bring supplies and medications. Packing a week's worth of scrubs, clothes, and toiletries in a duffle bag was a challenge, but with some creativity, I made it work- and want to share my tips with all of you!

Here's what my bag looked like:

My first tip is to pack all of your clothes in storage size zip-lock bags. This saves space, helps keep things organized, and in case of spills, will keep your clothes dry! Rolling your clothes instead of folding them also helps prevent wrinkles and saves room! 

The next tip is to wear the same clothes there and back home. Wear your sneakers on the plane, as well. This will save you a TON of room! 

I also only packed a couple t-shirts and shorts and just re-wore them throughout the week instead of bringing clothes for every single day. 

The BIGGEST challenge I faced was toiletries. Since we had to bring everything as a carry-on, TSA has such strict regulations with liquids. You have to bring all of your liquids in < 3 mL bottles and it all has to fit in a sandwich-sized bag. This made me leave some liquid shampoo at home and bring 2 mini bottles of dry shampoo. I washed my hair twice that week and used dry shampoo the rest of the week. I highly recommend the brand Batiste! 

A lot of my team members also brought baby wipes + face wipes instead of liquid soap. You can bring baby wipes in your carry-on! 

Since bug spray counts as a liquid, I recommend bringing those mosquito repellent bracelets! My team wore them throughout the week and we had no problems. You can find them here: Mosquito Bracelets

That's about all of my tips! Have you gone on a medical mission trip or plan to? Comment below!